Month: April 2018

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Lieutenant General Rajendra Ramrao Nimbhorkar, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, SM**, VSM- A Soldier Par Excellence

As I received a letter from General Nimbhorkar about his impending adieu to the profession of arms on 30 April 2018, after over five decades in uniform, I was struck by the thought that I was indeed fortunate to have been associated with one of the finest soldiers and an excellent human being. Our first meeting was in 2002, when I took over command of the Regiment in Rajasthan.  Our Regiment had mobilised as part of the general mobilisation ordered in the wake of the terrorist attack on the Indian Parliament (Op PARAKRAM). We were deployed as part of the newly raised 41 Arty Division, and I met then Col Nimbhorkar as the Colonel Administration of the formation during its raising.

There he was, an Infantry Officer, heading the administrative and operational logistics organisation of an Artillery Division.  He introduced himself in his soft and calm voice with a pleasant smile.  I was pretty sure that behind the smile was a smart, intelligent, tough and a chivalrous officer, who knew his beans pretty well, else he would not have been handpicked for the prestigious and difficult appointment.

General Nimbhorkar is a product of Sainik School, Satara (Maharashtra), National Defence Academy (NDA), Indian Military Academy (IMA).  Like most Sainik School graduates, he too came from a humble family background.  He was commissioned to 15 Punjab Regiment in 1979, which he commanded in Kashmir.  He graduated in courses at Defence Service Staff College,  and Higher command courses in India and the National Defence College, Dhaka.

As I look back over my two decades with the Indian Army, I observe that few military leaders are equally well admired by their superiors, subordinates, and peers and the admiration continues far beyond the years of association. The spoken reputation simply cuts across the hierarchical rank and file. I can say without hesitation that Gen RR Nimbhorkar belonged to this select few. There are a number of remarkable military facets about Gen Nimbhorkar. Some of them are worth mentioning.  During his long years with the Army, he was destined to be part of almost every major operation that was launched by the Indian Army. In his younger years up to command of his unit, he has walked on foot almost every inch of the line of control in Jammu and Kashmir. His command assignments at the Unit, Brigade, Division and Corps levels were all in operational areas. To say the least, he was someone who rose to the top through sheer hard core soldiering.

So we knew him as a hard core Infantry soldier. But during his tenure with the Artillery Division, he became a Gunner in letter and spirit and the Gunners accepted him as one of their own. When he spoke about artillery ammunition planning (a nightmare for most Gunners), one wondered whether he was wearing the wrong lanyard and beret! As he rose through the military hierarchy, many of the Gunners continued their association with him and to them he always remained a sort of a benevolent Colonel Commandant.

The most prominent part of his uniform were the rows of ribbons of the medals he had been awarded and they were plenty and they speak a lot about his military career.


Today, he stands tall as the most decorated officer of the Indian Army.  The above ribbons adorn his uniform, over his left chest and he surely holds them close to heart as he deserves much more for all his actions during his military service.  For the benefit of non-military readers, let me explain these ribbons.
1.     United Nations Angola Verification Mission Medal for his service as a Military Observer.
2.     Nine Years Long Service Medal
3.    20 Years Long Service Medal
4.    30 Years Long Service Medal
5.    50th Anniversary of Indian Independence Medal
6.    Videsh Seva Medal for service in a foreign land.
7.    High Altitude Service Medal for serving in areas above 9000 feet altitude.
8.    Samanya Seva Medal awarded for active service
9.    Operation Vijay Medal awarded to all participants of Operation Vijay – better known as Kargil War
10.  Special Services Medal.
11.   Samanya Seva Medal awarded for active service in Eastern Theatre.
12.   Wound Medal or Parakram Padak is awarded to those who sustain wounds as a result of direct enemy action in any type of operations or counter-insurgency actions.  The General was critically wounded while commanding his Battalion during Operation Vijay.
13.   Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) awarded for distinguished service of an exceptional order.
14.  Sena Medal (SM).  The General was awarded Sena Medal twice(SM**) – once for gallantry as Captain commanding an Infantry  Company in Dras sector and for distinguished service as a Brigadier commanding an Infantry Brigade.
15.    Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) awarded in recognition for distinguished service of an exceptional order.
16.    Uttam Yudh Seva Medal (UYSM) awarded for a high degree of distinguished services in an operational context of war, conflict, or hostilities.
17.    Param Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) awarded in recognition for peace-time service of the most exceptional order.

General Nimbhorkar is a great leader, a true and gallant soldier, an outstanding administrator, a voracious reader, and above all a great human being.

My salutes to him from Canada – thousands of miles away -on the eve of his retirement.  I am sure he will remember David Frost’s lines: –
The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

(Written in collaboration with Veteran Brigadier Azad Sameer)

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Golden Jubilee – 75 Medium Regiment (Basantar River)


Veteran Colonel Joginder Singh, Mrs Kiranjit, Marina and I – we all travelled from Toronto, Canada to Faridkot, Punjab, India – to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of the raising of our regiment – 75 Medium Regiment (Basntar River).  A reunion, is a gathering of people who have shared a past, and the joy of reuniting is to see the individuals with whom the past was shared. Here we were reuniting to  share our past, the good old regimental days, with those brave officers and soldiers, who now carry the mantle, history and traditions.

Our Regiment was raised in 1966 at Delhi and was equipped with 130 mm Russian Guns.  It had three batteries – one battery was of Brahmins (other than those from the Southern and Eastern States of India), the second had Jats and the third was manned by the soldiers from the four Southern States.  By the turn of the century, the Regiment was reorganised with soldiers from all over India, from all castes and religions.

The Regiment was awarded Honour Title “BASANTAR RIVER” in recognition of  outstanding contribution by all Officers and soldiers during the 1971 Indo-Pak War.  The Regiment provided fire support for the most  famous battle of Zafarwal  in that the two Param Vir Chkra (Highest Gallantry Ward) winners – Second Lieutenant Arun Khetrapal of 17 Poona Horse and Major Hoshiar Singh of 3 Grenadiers – both were supported by the Regiment’s Observation Post (OP) Officers – Captain SC Sehgal and Captain Mohan Krishnan.  Captain Sehgal was awarded Vir Chakra posthumously for his gallant actions and Capt Mohan Krishnan was awarded Mention-in-Despatches.


As we landed at New Delhi Railway Station – there was an impromptu get-together.  We were met by Veteran Major General PK Ramachandran, Brigadier Madan Sheel Sharma,  Veteran Colonel Ashok Arora  and Veteran Colonel Ranjan Deb.  We were received at Faridkot Railway Station with all the fanfare and were escorted to the Officers’ Mess


With the present team of officers of the Great Regiment – ably commanded by Colonel DR Jadhav – They made the event come alive and memorable.  They surely left no stone unturned to make the event a grand success.


During lunch at the Officers’ Mess, we met Mrs Sneh Thadan, wife of Late Brigadier KN Thadani.  Lieutenant Colonel Thadani commanded our Regiment during the 1971 Indo-Pak war and was awarded Vishisht Seva Medal for his exemplary leadership and planning.  There was Veteran Brigadier MS Brar VSM, SM. He was the Battery Commander with Hudson Horse during Battle of Basantar River of the Indo-Pak conflict of 1971.


Veteran Brigadier AN Suryanarayanan – our Commanding Officer when I joined the Regiment in December 1982 – was there in his smart and erect posture with his signature mustache..


Veteran Colonel Mahaveer Singh – the Commanding Officer under whom I served the longest – 1983 to 1988 was at his cheerful best as expected.


The Stalwarts here – From Left – Veteran Brigadier JPS Ahluvalia (Commanding Officer 1990 -93), – Veteran Brigadier AK Sikka (first Battery Commander under whom I served), – Veteran Brigadier AN Suryanarayanan – Veteran Colonel Mahaveer Sing and – Veteran Brigadier Rajesh Kumar – Adjutant of our Regiment during Indo-Pak War of 1971


There was a Wreath Laying a wreath at the War Memorial of the Regiment, where all veterans and serving soldiers paid their respect to all those who laid down their lives, serving the motherland.  The bust of Captain SC Sehgal, Vir Chakra  and Captain Pratap Singh, Maha Vir Chakra aptly adorned the memorial.

Captain Pratap Singh and I served with the Regiment from 1984 to 1988.   During his deployment in Siachin Glacier in 1988, Capt  Pratap Singh was performing the duties of OP officer at Bana Post, the highest post in the glacier.  On 26 May 1988 he volunteered to cut the ropes tied by the enemy to launch assault on Bana Post and hence prevented its capture.  While he went on to accomplish this task, a booby trap laid by enemy exploded causing severe injuries, yet this brave officer, with cold courage and determination, completed his task before succumbing to injuries. For his outstanding, exemplary and gallant act in the best traditions of Indian Army he was awarded Maha Vir Chakra posthumously.


We presented a Silver Trophy to the Regiment on the occasion – replica of a Bofors Gun the Regiment is currently equipped with.


There were many occasions for us to interact with Veteran Soldiers who served under our command and it I had many a goose bumps as they recounted and reminisced various events, sports competitions, operations, etc.


I was lucky to  meet and interact with Colonel PR Ravikumar and Colonel UV Rao – the smart Young Officers who served with me.  Colonel Ravi commanded our Regiment  and Colonel Rao is commanding a newly raised Medium Regiment.


During the Golden Jubilee party at the Officers’ Mess, Mrs Sneh Thadani cut the cake.


It was indeed a moment of pride for me as I sat down to sign the Visitors’ Book at the Officers Mess as the  table on which I was signing had the photograph  of Major General BK Guha, Colonel of Regiment.  He was the Senior Subaltern when I joined the Regiment in December 1982.


As I bid goodbye to the Regiment, I spoke to Colonel Jadhav “The Regiment was good –  that is why so many Veterans turned up; the Regiment is good – that is why you could put up such a great show; and the Regiment will surely remain good for the times to come.”  , We all enjoyed every bit of the moments we shared and will ever be etched in our memory.

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RIP Wing Commander K Manickavasagam


Squadron Leader K Manickavasagam joined our school – Sainik School Amaravathi Nagar, Thamizh Nadu, India as our Headmaster in 1978 while we were in Grade 11.  He bid adieu to the world to be with the God Almighty on 13 April 2018, leaving behind a great legacy – especially for the Cadets of Sainik School Amaravathi Nagar.

He got on to his main task from the day he arrived – to turn us teens into adults.  He was seen everywhere during all activities – from the morning Physical Training (PT) to evening dinner.  We all enjoyed his company, his talks, his motivational anecdotes.  It would not be wrong for me to say that he was instrumental in many of us clearing the Services Selection Board (SSB) Interview and joining the defence forces with Vice Admiral G Ashok Kumar, AVSM, VSM, Deputy Chief of Naval Staff  heading the pack.

The day for us all dawned with PT and there was Squadron Leader R Manickawasagam, out there, running with us and exercising with us.  While we marched from the Cadets’ Mess to the school after breakfast, we saw Squadron Leader Manickavasagam cycling down from his residence to the Academic Block.  Next was the morning assembly.  He called Vijayabhaskaran and me during PT and asked us to deliver a speech during the assembly  on  “Untouchability” for Vijayabhaskaran  “Co-education in Sainik Schools” for me.  Vijayabhaskaran asked “for how long should we speak?”. “As long as you can” came the Headmaster’s reply. As we went back to prepare our speeches, Vijas told me that we should speak for 45 minutes each the least so that everyone goes for the tea-break after the assembly and we all can manage to skip the first three periods of the day. After each speech, Squadron Leader  Manickavasagam spoke for 15 minutes, analysing and assessing our speeches.  He was real serious and meticulous  as he went about all his tasks.

Squadron Leader Manickavasagam appeared to have taken the divine task of molding us teens into leaders and good citizens.  He lead many adventure activities like treks through the Anamalai Wildlife Park located adjacent to our school campus, tracking rabbits in the Small-Arms Range area and so on.

He chaired many of the open-house debates and discussions.  He encouraged us to present our views, right or wrong, confidently.  He shared his experiences and wisdom during these events.  He encouraged all of us to be creative by participating in various extra-curricular activity clubs.  He conducted General Knowledge classes for us in the evenings wherein we could discuss anything and everything under the sun.

He was often seen cheering us from the sidelines when we competed in various Inter-house sports events with all our spirits, heart and soul – whether it was the boxing, athletics, football, hockey, volleyball or basketball.

Squadron Leader  Manickavasagam always had positive words of encouragement for us – even while we goofed it up.  He did mete out punishments for us, keeping in mind our age and exuberance.  Once he made Vijayabhaskaran and I to apologise in front of the Morning Assembly – it was too less a punishment for the mischief we did.  Looking back, had the intended punishment of withdrawal from school was awarded to us – we would not have achieved what we have today for sure.

RIP Squadron Leader K Manickavasagam.  You had the vibes of all of the students. An Officer and a thorough Gentleman to the core – someone we all would love to emulate.

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The Razor’s Edge: A Military Tradition of Shaving and Self-Discipline

The First Task of the Day

In 2014, Admiral William H. McRaven, the retired United States Navy Admiral who served as the ninth commander of the US Special Operations Command, delivered the commencement address at the University of Texas at Austin. His words that day resonated far beyond the graduating class: “If you make your bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day.“

For cadets at Sainik School, where I spent my formative years from nine to sixteen, the ‘making the bed’ ritual was precisely that – the first accomplishment of each morning. At the National Defence Academy (NDA), however, the first task evolved. Morning shave became the ritual that set the tone for the day ahead.

During early school years, facial hair was not a concern. Shaving was a weekly ritual accompanying the barber’s haircut. At NDA, shaving became mandatory for all cadets – a discipline that would continue through over two decades of service in the Indian Army.

A Winter Morning Lesson

One winter morning in the eighties, I was a young Lieutenant serving as Senior Subaltern of the Regiment. Word arrived that an important political leader had passed away, and the day was declared a holiday. I had already shaved and was changing into my PT whites. Stepping out of my room, I found all the other Lieutenants similarly dressed and ready for physical training.

“We have already shaved and put on our PT dress,” I said. “Let us go for a run. Once you have shaved early morning, holiday or not, it makes no difference.”

That morning run became more than exercise. It was a lesson in discipline that transcended circumstance – a reminder that self-respect and routine should not be dictated by calendar or convenience.

The Foundation of Soldierly Pride

In the Army, a uniformed service, discipline is judged partly by how a soldier wears prescribed dress, and partly by personal appearance. A well-groomed appearance is fundamental to military life, contributing to pride and esprit-de-corps. Every soldier must be self-disciplined and proud of belonging to a noble profession.

Commanders bear primary responsibility for ensuring that soldiers under their command present a smart, soldierly appearance – at all times, in or out of uniform, on or off duty. A properly shaved soldier, sporting a mustache if preferred, embodies that soldierly bearing.

The Origins of the Clean-Shaven Face

The tradition of clean-shaven soldiers traces back to Alexander the Great. Legend holds that he ordered his troops to shave so that enemy combatants could not grab them by their beards and throw them to the ground.

In the Indian Army today, soldiers are expected to be clean-shaven, with Sikhs as the exception, permitted to grow their beards as part of their religious practice. Mustaches, if worn, must remain above the upper lip.

Sir Douglas Haig with his army commanders and their chiefs of staff – World War I – (Image Courtesy Wikimedia)

British Military Tradition

Many of the Indian Army’s traditions and regulations derive from the British Army, whose orders regarding shaving date back to the eighteenth century. Until that time, British soldiers were clean-shaven and did not wear mustaches. Soldiers of the Hussar Cavalry Regiments adopted mustaches specifically to intimidate their enemies. The trend spread across the British Army, with the mustache serving as a distinguishing mark separating soldier from civilian.

Influence from Indian royalty and the Indian belief that mustaches signified manliness may also have played a role. By the late eighteenth century, mustaches had gained popularity among British civilians, as did sideburns.

The Great Mustache Revolt

The iconic World War I poster featuring Lord Kitchener – sporting a formidable handlebar mustache – urging citizens to join the army remains an enduring image from that era

During World War I, Commonwealth soldiers found mustaches cumbersome to maintain while fighting trench warfare. Many soldiers and officers preferred to shave them off, leading to what amounted to a quiet revolt. Some soldiers faced court-martial for failing to comply with the mustache order.

In 1913, General Nevil Macready investigated the matter and submitted a report recommending that mustache orders be withdrawn. No action was taken. In 1915, King George reinforced the necessity of mustaches for soldiers. Macready resubmitted his recommendations in 1916, and on 8 October of that year, an order was finally passed abolishing the mandatory mustache requirement.

Debunking the Myth

It is a common myth that hair grows thicker and darker after shaving. Forensic anthropologist Mildred Trotter debunked this belief in 1928. She asked three college students to shave their legs, from ankle to knee, twice weekly for eight months. Using a microscope, she compared each student’s hair growth rate, colour, and thickness. Her conclusion: shaving had no impact on hair’s texture or growth.

Shaving Beyond the Military

Wrestlers are predominantly clean-shaven – Olympic rules require either a full beard or a clean-shaven face, as stubble can irritate an opponent’s skin. Swimmers often remove all body hair, believing that even minimal resistance can affect performance.

Among married Amish men, beards are worn with trimmed mustaches, substituting for wedding rings.

A Curious Footnote

For reasons still unclear, Parliament once dismissed the personal barber of Charles I of England. Famously slow to trust others, King Charles never shaved again – fearing that a new barber might attempt to kill him. History offers no evidence for the suspicion, but the king’s caution speaks to the intimate trust placed in those who hold a razor to one’s throat.

Conclusion

From Alexander’s battlefield strategy to trench warfare’s practical demands, from regimental discipline to personal pride, shaving has remained a constant thread in the fabric of military life. The morning ritual that began each day with a clean face taught lessons that extended far beyond grooming: self-discipline, attention to detail, and respect for oneself and one’s uniform. Admiral McRaven’s first task of the day may have been making the bed, but for generations of soldiers, the razor’s edge has served the same purpose – a small accomplishment that sets the stage for all that follows.

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Retreat Ceremony at Hussainiwala

During our visit to India to attend the Golden Jubilee celebrations of raising of our regiment – 75 Medium Regiment (Basantar River) – we watched the Retreat Ceremony at Hussainiwala Border Post.  Unlike most international borders, where no such daily ceremonies are held, retreat ceremonies are held on Indo-Pak border at dusk.

Canada and USA share the longest International Boundary in the world, which is mostly unmanned, except at crossing points.  The border came into existence at the end of bitterly fought American Revolutionary War between Great Britain and the United States with the Treaty of Paris of 1783.  In 1925, the International Boundary Commission came into being with the task of surveying and mapping the boundary, maintaining boundary pillars and buoys and keeping the boundary clear of bush and vegetation for six meters.

Ontario province has 14 road border crossings, one truck ferry, and four passenger ferries with the United States.  The most popular crossing is the Rainbow Bridge (above) near Niagara Falls.  This is a popular border crossing for pedestrians, however, trucks are not permitted to use this bridge.  The boundary runs through the centre of this bridge.  Surely, the two countries hardly ever hold any border ceremonies.

There are only three trading posts, Wagah (Punjab), Chakan da Bagh (Rajouri, Kashmir) and Kaman (Uri, Kashmir) on the Indo-Pak border through which people and goods move.  Chakan da Bagh Post and Kaman Post is manned by Indian Army soldiers and they do not hold any ‘retreat’ ceremonies.  However, they exchange sweets on important national and religious days.

A ‘retreat ceremony’ in military parlance signals the end of duty day and when the national flag is brought down.  The band if present or the bugler will sound ‘retreat’.  The lowering of the flag is coordinated with the playing of the music so the two are completed at the same time.  It is a ritual in every military unit and often coincides with the change of guard for the night.

Retreat ceremonies are held on the Indo-Pak border in Punjab at Wagah (Amritsar), Hussainiwala (Firozepur and Sadiqi (Fazilka) by the Border Security Force (BSF) of India and Rangers of Pakistan.  Neither the Indian Army nor the Pakistan Army is involved in this heavily choreographed flag-lowering ceremony.  The drill movements are over exaggerated and at times is near ridiculous and mostly absurd.  One would even wonder as to whether such ceremonies hold any value in modern civilised world.  Whatever it may be, the ritual has endured through half a century despite many diplomatic upheavals, border skirmishes, economic warfare and mutual misunderstandings.

Hussainiwala Border served as the major road crossing between Indian and Pakistan till 1970. At that time, it acted as a trade route for truckers, mainly to import Kandahari Angoor (dehydrated grapes) as well as other fruits and food products from Pakistan and Afghanistan.   The post was closed for trade in 1970 as tensions rose between India and Pakistan.  The retreat ceremony commenced in 1972 after the Indo-Pak War.

We were all seated in the Amphitheatre to witness the ceremony.  On the Indian side there was no segregation of. men and women.  The only concern was the glare of the setting sun as we faced Westwards.

On the Pakistan side, there were separate enclosures for men and women.   The only commonality was most women and men including the Rangers – all wore Salwar Kameez.

As the seats were getting filled up, the audio systems from both sides begun belching out ‘patriotic’ songs with as much volume they could muster.  At the auspicious time of 5 PM, the soldiers from both sides ‘enacted’ their choreographed drills.

They marched ‘Goose Stepping’, throwing their legs as high as they could.  This was a form of extreme marching held by German, Prussian, and Russian military to be an ultimate display of the unbreakable will and discipline of its soldiers.  Most modern armies have done away with this ‘fascist’ approach to marching as being extreme.  Only a few countries use it as a powerful display of military discipline.

Foot drill is a fundamental activity of the military and is practised regularly during initial military training.   Foot drill involves marching with an exaggerated heel strike, and regimented manoeuvres performed while marching and standing characterised by an exaggerated stamping of one foot into the ground.

The soldiers were wearing leather soled boots with heavy metal attached to them.  It made ‘metallic’ sound when they came in contact with the concrete floor every time the a soldier stamped his foot, that too much higher than needed.

The soldiers from both the sides pose showing their aggression and fearlessness.  They widen their chests, twirl their mustaches, thrust open their  eyeballs, and what not – all to invite applause and cheers from the audience on either side.

After enacting all these choreographed caricature of a drill, soldiers  cross the white line to come to the other country and form a beautiful cross X with the flag threads. Both the flags are held together at the junction and then are brought down at speed and folded neatly.  Throughout the ceremony sloganeering and clapping many a times reached frenzied levels.  The only saving grace during the entire routine was the exchanges of sly smiles between the soldiers of both nations.

The question here is as whether we need such exaggerated drills to incite national passion and fervour among the citizens?  How long can a country sustain such a fervour?  What about the soldiers who are enacting this routine?  Have you considered the unwanted  physical and mental stress they undergo?

High levels of bone strain caused by such exaggerated drills will surely result in stress fracture.  It may also cause micro-damage to bones.  Digging down of heels, especially with the foot raised over the head may cause severe strain to the neck and spine and also brain damage.  These soldiers may also end up with joint pains, migraine and headaches

Ultimately who cares?  The show must go on.